Moving fish to a bigger tank

We were lucky to find a 130 gallon aquarium with a stand for $100. So we are going to move our fish from the 30 gallon to it along with one of the ID sharks and the female pleco.
Now. the current filtration will have to get increased as it's just an Aquaclear 500 & a biowheel filter.
For the time being, can I just fill the tank & use the current filters as is without having to cycle the tank, but just add some Prime?
Maybe I can move my Rena XP3 to it to help out?

Also, I need help with trying to find out how to make the 10 gallon tub filter I currently use for the existing 130 gallon tank.

Which would be better, sand or gravel? How much would be needed for 2 or 3 inches?

Below are pics of what it looks like. It has a quick disconnect one the bottom for the intake & the top 3 outputs are made of 2 pieces that screw together within the holes made in the tub.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/18/96/24/69/img_0110.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/18/96/24/69/img_0111.jpg

Congrads on the new tank, that's a steal in this neck of the woods.

If your just moving the filters intact from a cycled tank then the answer is yes. Set up the new one, drop in some prime, filters and fish. Might want to keep a close eye on the levels just in case for some reason it triggers a cycle.

If the XP3 is not being used for something else, it would certainly help. The XP3 itself is supposedly rated for tanks up to 175G.

Steve

The xp3 is currently being used with the existing 130 gallon now. I was planning on using it to help the new tank until I get a second tub filter built. I believe the pump is a 600+ GPH, so the tub will be doubled in size.

What about substrate & the connections I am looking for as shown in the pics?

What a great find - congrats! I suppose substrate is a personal thing, unless you have bottom diggers in there, in which case, I'd go with sand. We personally love sand over gravel - I love the way sand looks in a tank, and it is so easy to maintain. We use play sand - we bought two or three bags (that was awhile ago - can't remember how many exactly) for the 220g, 10g, and 20g. I rinsed all of the sand, and then saved what was left-over to use for "top-ups". Congrats again - that was a super deal!

Thanks! I found it on kijiji actually. This is the second time we struck such a deal on this size tank. Our first 130 was found via word of mouth from the LFS where we lived before. It included a 130 gallon tank, homemade solid, wood stand, gravel & the Rena XP3.

I am needing to find a quick disconnect like the one shown here.


Also need the male/female screw style parts for the upper part as shown here. Not the light grey plastic, but the black part that the light grey is screwed into.
If a better pic is needed, I will see what I can do.

you are looking for bulkheads like these,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Aquarium-Bulkhead-Kit-Slip-x-Slip-Strainer-Barbed-Elbow-Washer-New-/321451543394?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad8014b62

As far as gravel for the bottom of the tank, with goldfish and Koi I keep it simple and only put about 1" a course gravel. They are such dirty fish that I like to dig into it with siphon I use and suck out all the poop. I like a course gravel so it doesn't get sucked up in the siphon.

Steve

Steve, do you ever worry about gravel size being too big for goldfish? Years ago I had a goldie die, its body was full of large pieces of gravel it had swallowed. I could tell because when I picked it up the gravel grated and I could actually HEAR it, so yes, I did cut it open. Now I use really small stuff for them.

Goldfish are definetly foragers and they will pick stuff up off the floor and put it in their mouth. Oh wait I am talking about my kids when they were two years old.

However the same applies, which is why I use gravel that is about the size of green peas, if I use gravel at all. So even if they can pick it up they will never be able to swallow it, unless they are really big.

Steve

I use sand for my larger goldfish tank.
Small enough that they have no issues choking and it gives them some place to forage through.
My other tank is bare bottom.

Need to ask, would the koi & fantail be ok with the warmer water in the new tank? The water temp in the 130 gallon is in the green zone of the thermometer, if that helps. Can't read what it actually is LOL

Fantails should be ok as the green zone is normally up to 25 degrees. I don't have experience with koi so can't say anything about these.

Contrary to popular belief Koi are not cold water fish, they are more of a temperate water fish. Not sure if that proper terminology but that’s how I explain it. The ideal water temp for health and maximum growth of Koi is 68-70F. They are fine down to 60F ish.

Once they get below 55F the trouble starts. There is bunch of harmful bacteria that can attack you fish that is active all the way down to 40F. The problem being the Koi’s ability to fight off these bacteria is greatly reduced at temperatures below 55F. That’s why the first step of any rescue mission for Koi is always warm them up. However once you get down below 40F your Koi become very uncomfortable and potentially at risk.

I have regularly held my pond fish at 38-40F over the winter but in a perfect world to maximise growth you should keep them over 60F or above.

Now that I have not answered your question, let’s look at the other end of the ideal temperature. As the temperature rises above the ideal range the % of dissolved oxygen in the water will continue to drop. Above 80F and you will start to see signs of them being uncomfortable and hard to breath, above 85F and they could be in serious trouble.

Hope this helps

Steve

The temp would be below 80F, around 70/75F.

Steve, that was a GREAT explanation!! Don't apologize for that one.

Sandman1969 wrote:The temp would be below 80F, around 70/75F.

They should be fine.

Steve

Good to hear. Thanks!